Sat>IP support

hepto · August 30, 2024, 11:18am

Here is the guide on Github so it can be followed and commented on:

gist.github.com

https://gist.github.com/hepto/086de646ab9ef7624b9025f65119eaea

tvheadend-freesat-setup.md

Once you have TVH going, go to its web interface on http://x.x.x.x:9981.  Then these are the steps:

1. Enable the **Advanced** or **Expert UI** in **Configuration > General > Base**
   
   This enables some menu items that are needed for future steps.

2. Go to **Configuration > Channels / EPG > EPG Grabber Modules** and ensure that ONLY **Freesat** and **Freesat EIT** are enabled.
   
   This setting does grab the EPG that is embedded in the streams, but it's not actually used in the end.  It is required later to get the Freesat bouquets which are the sets of regional Freesat only channels, which are important later.

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Snubbers · September 9, 2024, 8:57am

Hi Neil, I've just ditched Sky Q and after successfully trying a HDHR for freeview with Channels, as with everyone else, I'm thinking that SAT->IP for freesat (UK) will be perfect for more HD channels and better quality in general.

I see you are really supportive in this thread, so just wondering if you can advise if the Kathrein EXIP418 is really the best current option? I have the SKYQ Wideband LNB and can't seem to find any other well supported SAT->IP boxes. I have 2-3 TVs in the house, so think the 418 is adequate with the 8 tuners.

alex_m · September 9, 2024, 9:13am

Hi @Snubbers - I have a Sky dish with a Wideband LNB from Sky Q usage and an EXIP418, works very well. I just adjusted the LO frequency to 10.41 GHz (10410 MHz) on the EXIP setup page. Works flawlessly.

GeoffT · September 10, 2024, 9:15am

Ditto - I also use a "Sky" Wideband LNB with an EXIP418 and it too has been flawless for me. Never had an issue with needing more than 8 tuners, especially as Channels will share a feed/tuner if 2 rooms are watching the same thing anyway. I tested it when I first set it up and it ran 7 simultaneous recordings while I watched another channel with no problem.

The only issue with SATIP is that you do need to keep on top of any satellite channel changes yourself.

I had some recordings set up on a Channel we very rarely watch live (Quest) and discovered when I came to watch them there was nothing there because that channel had changed Satellite Frequency. I checked and a few had moved at the same time so needed the custom M3U file updating.

I use this website for the satellite data but I haven't discovered a way of getting a notification of any changes which would be ideal.

I even thought about setting up my own channel scan where I automatically cycle through each SATIP channel and somehow look for errors in the log, to see if the tuning was still OK, but it never got beyond the thought bit!

Snubbers · September 12, 2024, 9:12am

Thanks @GeoffT and @alex_m , The EXIP418 is winging its way from Germany was we speak, will be here early next week.

neild7744 · September 12, 2024, 5:26pm

As Alex & Geoff have mentioned

neild7744 · September 12, 2024, 5:32pm

Regarding this Geoff... I have a friend who is helping me (possibly.... its in the early stages), scan that website & automatically update the m3u list that Channels DVR looks at. The problem will be that when the M3U list gets updated, any changes seem to shift the EPG mapping, meaning your channel EPG is not correctly assigned to the updated list. A way round this (again, but is in the early stages) is to tag up the M3U so that Channels DVR server will automatically map to the correct channels by tags - So like how HDHomerun devices work with the DVR server. I asked my friend about doing this months ago, we just need to look into again!

GeoffT · September 12, 2024, 6:24pm

That is very interesting and would be a great solution if it was possible.

I actually already "hard code" my SATIP channels to a specific channel number, channel ID and the guide station id so it always picks up the correct EPG etc and all I need to change is the satellite data if and when it updates. I store the data for this in an Excel spreadsheet so I can quickly make any changes and then copy and paste the whole thing across to the Custom Source as a text entry. I've also created and host my own channel logos to make them as clear as I possibly can for my wife who has eyesight issues. So really all I would personally need is the raw SATIP data for any channel that changes and everything else could stay the same.

EG This is my M3U entry for BBC1 SW.

EXTINF:-1  tvg-chno="1"  tvc-guide-stationid="120576" channel-id="KATSAT1" tvg-logo="http://192.168.1.4:1880/Logo/BBC1" tvg-name="BBC ONE SW HD", BBC ONE SW HD
http://192.168.1.20/src=1&freq=10788&pol=v&ro=0.25&fec=34&msys=dvbs2&mtype=8psk&plts=on&sr=23000&pids=0,259,5200,5201,5203,5204,5205

neild7744 · September 15, 2024, 2:52pm

Tried this... just out of interest... Yes tuning seems to be quicker, but seems a bit of a chore to setup. In addition, does not give me all FTA channels from 28.2E - Which im assuming is due to "Freesat" TAG. The EPG mapping in Channels DVR does not populate correctly - So for me, its easier just to M3U a connection direct to the SATIP server. Thanks for sharing this.

Snubbers · September 18, 2024, 12:10pm

Thanks to this thread, I've now got the EXIP418 running nicely with ChannelsDVR!

I did cheat a bit and went down the tvheadend route using the freesat guide above, just to allow an 'easy' front end for scanning bouquets and creating the right channel list etc..

Switching time is quick and so far its working fine!

Snubbers · September 18, 2024, 3:41pm

TVHE (painful UI) is quite flexible..

For normal 'Freesat' If you select the right bouquet (region etc) in both TVHE and match that in ChannelsDVR then the EPG will transfer through pretty much flawlessly..

I presume you are using a different provider? I was going to check if its easy to map TVHE to the Channels DVR "Astra FTA (National)" provider which should in theory give you everything, and the nice thing with TVHE is you can disable channels on that end and it will just mirror that in its m3u to help curate the list more easily.

There is also a very good web API available in TVHE so another option (I might dabble, my background is software!) is to use TVHE to just get all services (there are 652 picked up automatically from all the 28.2E Muxes) and build any manner of custom m3u file (including all the info to build the direct links to the SAT>IP box directly), so you could just use TVHE to maintain an up to date list of channels with all their associated frequencies and effectively/periodically create a custom m3u whenever you want.